My invention relates to an economical and rugged electric lighting fixture using a standard voltage U-shaped fluorescent lamp designed particularly for dock-side use and constructed mainly of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin.
Until recently, most electric lighting fixture housings have been made of metal. However, for lighting fixtures designed for dock-side use, most metal housings are subject to rapid corrosion due to constant exposure to rain and sun and, in coastal areas, to salt spray, even when the metal parts are temporarily protected by paint.
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,890 discloses an outdoor lighting fixture constructed largely of PVC and using a U-shaped fluorescent lamp. I have now invented an improved lighting fixture especially adapted for marine and dock-side use.
As mentioned in my aforesaid prior patent, there are a number of prior suggestions in the art to use various plastic and elastomeric resins in the fabrication of lighting fixture components. These suggestions include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,902,057; 4,210,841; 4,360,862; 4,379,321; 4,380,793; 4,414,613; 4,523,263 and 4,564,890.
However, my improved outdoor lighting fixture using a standard voltage U-shaped fluorescent lamp possesses a number of advantages over previous outdoor fixtures.
1. Because it comprises only components which are already manufactured in quantity, the cost of its components is lower than the cost of conventional outdoor lighting components.
2. Because of the simplicity of the fixture and its components which can be quickly assembled by unskilled labor, my lighting fixture costs less to manufacture than conventional fixtures.
3. Because its housing is made of PVC, my lighting fixture is more rugged and less subject to corrosion than conventional fixtures.
My improved outdoor lighting fixture includes the following components: a funnel-shaped main housing of polyvinyl chloride having a cylindrical upper end and a cylindrical lower end of reduced diameter; a main housing extension of polyvinyl chloride having the same diameter as the lower end of said main housing and having an annular ring projecting from its inner wall; a hollow cylindrical housing sized to fit into the upper cylindrical end of said main housing; a U-shaped fluorescent lamp; a socket for said lamp; a 120 volt transformer; a circular socket mounting bracket sized to fit snugly onto the annular ring of the main housing extension and carrying the fluorescent lamp socket and the transformer; a dished reflector surrounding the lower end of the lamp and whose outer edge is secured between the lower end of the cylindrical housing and the flared wall of the main housing and a flat circular transparent lens bonded to the upper end of said main housing.